The Importance Of Injury Prevention In Soccer

Soccer (football) has a high injury rate among players of all ages and levels. Players under the age of 24 sustain 80% of soccer injuries (Koutures and Gregory, 2010). Lower extremity injuries are the most common in soccer and these usually occur without contact, although the nature of soccer also puts players at risk of obtaining injuries due to contact with other players (Dai et al, 2014). Junge et al (2010) found that 70% of injuries occurring during training or matches in Swedish amateur soccer players were non-contact. This suggests that the biomechanics of a player’s movements may be a primary risk factor for injury. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries of the knee are of particular interest among female players as they are up to eight times more likely to contract an ACL injury than male players (Campbell, 2014). There are many factors that contribute to females having higher rates of ACL injuries, but it is generally due to their biomechanics making them more susceptible to the application of high loading of the ACL (Campbell, 2014). Most ACL injuries occur due to poor movement patterns during lateral movements or landing tasks, such as valgus movement of the knee joint, increased internal tibial rotation, and increased hip and knee flexion (Dai et al, 2014). Outdoor soccer proves a higher risk of injury due to variable field conditions that can combine with poor movement patterns to create a likely condition for lower extremity injuries (Koutures and Gregory, 2010). ACL injuries do not only pose an acute problem for the player and the team (as a result of losing a healthy player for competition), but these injuries have long-term implications. ACL reconstruction, which is often required for return to sport, usually results in reduced strength, proprioception, balance, and neuromuscular control patterns in the injured leg. Also, of those who have had ACL injuries, 70% develop knee osteoarthritis and 13-15% require total knee arthoplasty later in life (Dai et al, 2014). Due to the nature of ACL injuries being a result of poor movement patterns, there is potential for prevention using training programs. The Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine recommends all Canadian youth soccer players participate in an ACL injury prevention program that focuses on neuromuscular, proprioceptive, agility, and strength training (Campbell, 2014). Youth soccer organizations are encouraged to introduce children to injury prevention programs as soon as they start organized sport so that it becomes part of their normal training routine (Soligard, 2010). Early intervention will also allow the player to develop healthy movement patterns before they develop poor mechanics that may predispose them to injury (Campbell, 2014). Evidence from the FIFA 11+ program suggests that a well-structured program, with good compliance has the …show more content…
The club will consist of 13-18 year old male and female teams. As part of the bid to enter the league, the club must satisfy a variety of criteria. Amongst the sports medicine criteria, the club is required to provide information about injury prevention (Ontario Player Development League, 2015). As outlined previously, the implementation of injury prevention programs into soccer training has been widely acknowledged as an important step towards athlete care. However, not all clubs have adopted an appropriate program, thus leaving their players susceptible to personal injury, which will have acute and long-term effects on individuals and teams. Currently, The Athlete Institute Soccer Club has not prioritized injury prevention into their …show more content…
Furthermore, there is a clear evaluation program following the implementation stage. This will be important for improving the program for future application, as it will be sustained long-term as an important component of training for the players. The evaluation will also serve to show retrospectively whether the program is worthwhile, rewarding those who complied with the program and convincing those who resisted the implementation of this program.
The following is an outline of the health needs assessment particular to this project. Bradshaw (1972) identifies different types of need and this prevention program meets the criteria for a normative (due to the evidence-based policy promotion from FIFA) and a comparative need (due to the programs effectiveness in other organizations). The major players in the promotion of this project will be outlined, as will the evidence behind the rationale for such a program, and the main aims of the program (Scriven, 2010).
Step 1: Social